Tom Brennan - I LIKE WHAT I AM HEARING
The incomparable Reese
Kaplan’s article on Wednesday included several quotes from Mickey Calloway’s
mid-week press conference, including:
- “It will truly be an open competition for starting and bench assignments. May the best man win.”
- “Salary and draft position will not dictate opportunities and assignments.”
- “We’re going to take defense and taking the extra base as seriously as we do the long ball.”
- “The best 25 players are coming north with us without regard to available options or bragging rights for having found potential lightning in a bottle.”
- “We will use players however we think they will best help us win games.”
- "Rookies and young ballplayers will be given the chance to succeed (and to fail). It's part of learning how to win."
Yes, indeedee, Bob, those sentiments are refreshing. After hearing Calloway, even perennial
complainer Elmer Fudd stopped lisping “Sufferin’ Succotash.” And Wimpy just said, “I will gladly pay you
Tuesday for a spring training game ticket today.”
That said, absent injuries, we know pretty much which players
have position player locks on major playing time: Yo Cespedes, Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto (when he is fully healthy
again), Todd Frazier, Amed Rosario, and
the hydra-headed catching tandem of Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki.
But prospect catcher Tomas
Nido should realize that if he can put last season’s hitting woes behind
him, he’d perhaps be ready for a quicker call up than might have been the case
under former manager Terry Collins.
It seems to me that Wilmer
Flores, Jose Reyes, Asdrubel Cabrera, Juan Lagares, and Brandon Nimmo will
be the ones jockeying for playing time.
On points 1, 2 and 3 above, Lagares and Nimmo should take heart. Point 3
should make Flores a tad nervous. My
guess is that all 5 will play a lot, with Cabrera playing the most.
But Calloway is making it clear that playing is performance-based,
not salary-based or seniority-based, which is a refreshing change.
After all, had the Mets employed that philosophy in
April 2017, the abysmally awful play of Curtis Granderson and Jose Reyes, who played
that month almost daily despite combining to hit about .120, would have clearly
been quickly curtailed.
What about minor leaguers’ hopes after those statements?
Point 3 on defense should put a hop in
defensive whiz Luis Guillorme’s step
and a smile on his face – this manager values defense.
IF Gavin Cecchini may in 2017 have regressed as a
hitter while improving his defense from defective to normal, but hearing he has
a chance to really impress has to energize him too, as should the departure of Natt,
err, I mean Matt Reynolds, eliminating
one competitor for Gavin.
Adrian Gonzalez will realize that if he cannot rebound
from last season’s injury woes and perform well quickly, he will quite possibly
be gone fast.
Dominic Smith will have his incentive doubled to stay focused, in great
shape, and fight fiercely to show he is ready to be a STRONG everyday major
league first baseman.
While most spots in the pen are nailed down, the many relievers
acquired in trades last season, along with the likes of Tyler Bashlor, Dave Roseboom, Adonis Uceta, Kyle Regnault, and Tim
Peterson, have to realize that a pitching-savvy manager and pitching coach open
to putting talent ahead of seniority gives them a real chance to be promoted in
2018 as they demonstrate an ability to shut down hitters and pitch fearlessly
in tight spots.
This season is starting out with brimming optimism, in my
book – and it is only February. Booyah!
13 comments:
Tom -
At the risk of sounding like Reese's clone, you don't really think that:
1. If Tomas Nido hits .400 in ST, Plawecki is left back in Florida?
2. If Dominic Smith hits 100 home runs, he is picked ahead of the A-Gon/Wilmer plan at first.
3. If Corey Oswalt goes 4-0, 1.00, he wins a rotation spot.
And so on...
Calloway is saying all the right things at the right time... his test will be the firs time his team hiccups in April.
Good morning Mack. In response to your questions, i’d Say that i’m Not expecting miracles, but as long as we don’t have to hear three months of “we gotta get him going” i’ll Consider it a major improvement in philosophy.
Um, Tom...
Those were the statements Reese hoped to hear (but didn't).
Anyway, barring injury no phenom (Nido, Smith, Cecch included) is going to push out a senior citizen based on ST stats. Now, come June, that's a different story.
Adam -
I understand.
Tom is the eternal optimist around here.
Reese is the Debbie Downer.
I go both ways... (did that come out okay?)
And we haven't figured out what Mike is yet.
Thanks, Hobie. I was going to point that out. I've never heard candor at a press conference :)
As far as A-Gone and the other first basemen go...if he slaps weak grounders due to his back not allowing him to swing properly while Smith and Flores flourish, it's POSSIBLE he won't go north. I wouldn't bet on it, though.
Mack, nope, I do not think any of those - but the door is less closed on those guys during the season than they would have been under Collins. Collins had a say, as does Calloway, who weighed in that he wanted to keep Harvey because he believed he could straighten him out.
Hobie, I only differ from you in that I do not think Calloway sticks with underperforming vets until June - obviously, he could be slowed by Sandy having to tee up something that is not a poor financial trade or release...but say, if Gonzo does OK in spring and Smith goes down to AAA, but then Gonzo isn't hitting and Smith is new and improved early in the season, that is one quick trigger. Same goes for the pen.
Mack, does that make you a BiMetual?? LOL
Reese, I agree on Gonzalez going north - if for no other reason than a veteran can handle early season pressure better. If he stinks in April, and Smith is cooking, it could be a quick move.
I saw a picture of Smith yesterday - I was thinking "who is that muscluar, athletic looking dude" - boy, was I pleased to see it was Dominic Smith. 10 years younger.
I love both Reese and Tom... Did that come out okay too?
But I have to say Reese is by far NOT a Debbie Downer... To me he is the pulse of the Mets fan who actually have their eyes wide open...
We all want to be optimistic but when in a Marriage your partner has let you down each and every time how do you remain optimistic... Its more stop talking and show me...
If that makes me a Debbie downer too then I am Reese's wing man... Fire away Maverick...
Eddie, I am a lot of times not far apart from Reese, and did not know much about Calloway except that when they interviewed him, they all concluded "this is our guy" and went straight to signing him - he is saying so many right things, like not warming guys up repeatedly and then not using them, realizing they are not bionic arms, that I just feel he will keep everyone overall a lot healthier and positive - and that is a huge plus over Collins.
That said, Calloway will have to prove it on the field like everyone else.
Tom, you're guilty of a FLAGRANT error. Elmer Fudd chased the "wascally wabbit" but Daffy Duck said "thufferin' thuccotash" ��
Tom
I am against or have any issues with Calloway... I just dont put any credence in any words from the Mets as a whole... They speak and it sounds all good then they do the opposite... time will tell...
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